I need you
by Pheonix DeLoures
Summary: Song fic of the song I need you, by LeAnn Rimes, Follow up to It only hurts (when I'm breathing) by me too. R&R please, I need to know what you think.!


  
  


_**I don't need a lot of things,  
I can get by with nothing.  
Of all the blessings life can bring,  
I've always needed something.**_

  
  


Tifa's thoughts kept returning to Cloud's visit from two weeks ago. He had finally returned to her, after all those years, and announced his love for her, but she couldn't go back. Not now. Could she? She was married, she couldn't just up and leave her husband because the love of her life, her best friend, the person she had shared too many experiences to count, Cloud, she couldn't just leave because he came back. She had vowed that marrage was forever.

_**  
But I've got all I want,  
When it comes to loving you.**_

  
  


Cloud, she couldn't just leave because he came back. She had vowed to herself, and her friends that marriage was forever. But that was back when she had figured she would be married to Cloud. Her calm, collected husband took good care of her, he loved her enough, but was it enough?

_**  
You're my only reason,  
You're my only truth  
**_  
  


No. Now that Cloud had come back, and come back purely for her, she HAD to find him. She didn't care if she lost her marriage, she had to find him and tell him how much she loved him. He was everything to her, and now she feared she had missed the chance she had waited for her whole life, the chance to love Cloud like she should, and he would love her back. As she had always wanted.

_**  
  
I need you like water,  
Like breath, like rain,  
I need you like mercy  
From heaven's gate.**_

  
  


She packed her things in the night, silently, gazing one last time at her soon to be abandoned husband and sighed deeply. He had been good to her, but she needed Cloud. He had been everything to her, and she would never be able to change that. He stirred slightly in his sleep, and she walked over to him and brushed a lock of hair away from his eyes. "I'm sorry," She whispered to his sleeping form, as she touched his forehead again, and he moaned softly. "I hope you understand. Its just something you could never give me, no matter how hard you tried."

_**  
There's a freedom in your arms,  
That carries me through.  
I need you.  
**_  
  


She Left her home without a look back, headed to who-knows-where, hoping Cloud would be there, or at least someone would have a clue as to where he went. She entered the first town down the road, after walking tirelessly for three hours straight, the sun a faint orange-red glow on the horizon, leading her in the right direction (she hoped)**_  
  
You're the hope that moves me,  
To courage again._**

  
  


She entered the Tavern there, her eyes searching out anyone who looked like they were in the loop, and finding one person,, a long haired, dusty traveler, drinking on a barstool near the edge of the dimly lit room. She approached him, her long hair swishing softly, her round hips swaying provocatively, her ruby eyes seeking council.

_**  
You're the love that rescues me,  
When the cold winds rage.**_

  
  


She sat next to him, and ordered a drink, waiting for it to arrive before she began her questioning.

"Sir, you look like someone who has been a lot of places, and met a lot of people, and I was wondering..."

A wave of his hand silenced her before she spoke her inquiry, and he took a long draft of his beer before looking into her eyes. "I know who you are, and why you are here." He said, his hoarse voice barely a whisper so she had to strain her ears to hear him.

"Excuse me? You know who I am and what I want? How?" She gazed at him, eyes narrowed in speculation. 

"He said you might come after him, he even left me a large sum of money to find you if you didn't.." He took another long draft.

_**  
And it's so amazing,  
'Cause that's just how you are.**_

  
  


Her eyes widened in shock at what the man was saying, that Cloud had wanted her to come after him. A slow smile crept across her face, as she hid it behind her beer mug, taking a long sip.

"He said he didn't want you to come for the wrong reasons, so he wanted me to ask your motives before I told you where he was. He's giving you a chance to back out before you make a big mistake." She studied her through his mug as he took another drink, emptying it of its contents.

_**  
And I can't turn back now,  
'Cause you've brought me too far.**_

  
  


She shrugged her shoulder and replied simply "I'm in love with him. That why I'm here." Hoping he would not ask her to explain anything more.

  
  


_**I need you like water,  
Like breath, like rain,**_

  
  


The mans eyes sparkled happily as he told her of Cloud's whereabouts, and she set off without finishing her beer, attempting to at least buy the man a drink for all his troubles, but he refused, and she walked toward the rising sun, new hope dawning in her heart.

_**  
I need you like mercy  
From heaven's gate.**_

  
  


She walked for days, stopping every night to sleep, and at each Tavern she visited, the same occurrence happened, with some stranger telling her where he was. Each time, she felt her heart sing at the prospect of being that much closer to him.

_**  
There's a freedom in your arms,  
That carries me through.**_

  
  


She had to fight her way through a few forests and swamps, but still she persevered, finding new hope in ever monster defeated, every enemy vanquished, feeling invincible now that she grew nearer to her destination.

_**  
I need you.**_

  
  


Finally she arrived at the town they had all told her he was in, but she didn't know where to begin her search. The town was huge, even for what she had heard about it, and the waves crashing against the shore, at the not-too-far-off lake, distracted her.

  
  


_**I need you like water,  
Like breath, like rain,**_

  
  


She searched frantically, avoiding the Lake for its distracting purposes, and found nothing. Noone in THIS town had even heard of him, let alone seen him. She ran toward the dusty dirty road, prepared to head off, toward....somewhere. She didn't even know where she would go. She hadn't prepared for the possibility of not finding him, she had felt in her heart she would automatically know.

_**  
I need you like mercy  
From heaven's gate.**_

  
  


But she had failed her love. She couldn't even find him, after coming all this way after him. Still the crashing of the waves pounded through her head, disrupting her every thought, bringing images of her love to her mind. Suddenly it stuck her. She knew where he was.

_**  
There's a freedom in your arms,  
That carries me through.**_

  
  


She ran hard, every vein in her body pounding, her breath coming in short gasps as she ran toward the sound of water, scraping her arms and legs with thorns off bramble bushes, but still she ran on, knowing he had at least been there, if he wasn't now.

_**  
I need you...**_

  
  


She turned the corner, and her eyes quickly scanned the water smoothed rocky shore, finding only logs, and debris from what must have been an old ship. So all the people had been wrong. He wasn't here, and he wasn't waiting for her. She felt every muscle in her heart contract, squeezing her lifeforce hard. 'He wasn't here, he wasn't coming, it had all been a trick' she was thinking, when she felt a familiar hand grasp her slim shoulder, and a cry of happiness escaped her lips.

She turned to face the man she had loved all her life, and his eyes caught hers and held them as he leaned down to kiss her soft lips.

  
  


_**I need you.**_

  
  


"I love you Cloud..." She whispered into his chest as he held her tightly, and they stared out at the crystal waves, crashing against the rocks, the sound brightening even the fading sunlight.


End file.
